Some Scars Can Heal
by SethCohenRocks-2009
Summary: I had always been the girl in the background, they were never meant to notice me. But he did and I had to leave that world behind. This is the story of how James Sirius Potter screwed up my life and how I, Annabel Callahan, came back to return the favour.


Let's just say it had always been like that. I had always been that girl, you know the one. The one who you don't really see. I'm always there; sitting listening to my iPod, reading an obscure novel, most likely drinking coffee while the rest of the world gets on with their lives rarely noticing my existence. I didn't hate my life despite what some would believe. I had my best friends India, Rose and Charlie. Not to mention Arthur, my older brother. I enjoyed living in my own little world, occupied only by the things that mattered to me. Well, I had enjoyed my life until someone noticed me. My name is Annabel Grace Callahan and this is the story of how James Sirius Potter screwed up my life and how I came back to return the favour.

I was born in the summer, in a year After the Second Wizarding War, not that I'd know this for another eleven years. My parents were dull, lovely but definitely, most definitely dull. They were lawyers in London, both from well off families who had met at Oxford and went on to get married and have two perfectly dull children. Well that was the plan anyway. Arthur and I however were not exactly dull. We both wanted to live our lives to the full and not become our parents with their boring lives and no sense of or longing for adventure.

I had been a quiet baby, one who had grown into a quiet child. I had long blonde hair that I would that later cut into a more choppy style as a sign of rebellion and a pair of large blue eyes that longed to gaze into a world other than that of dreary old London. My fingers would become nimble after many years of piano, violin and guitar.

At the age of four I was sent off to a private school, one of those that pretty much encourage and breed mean catty girls. It was here though that I discovered art. I loved to draw, to paint, to sculpt, anything that would let me create. I had fallen in love at the age of four and seven months. Soon music and the written word joined art in my heart. My parents tried to understand, bless them, but they never really did understand truly. Arthur did though. Arthur was twelve years older than me and had always been an enigma to me while I was growing up. Despite this he was and is my best friend.

Everything changed on my eleventh birthday. I had been lying curled up on the sofa in my bedroom watching a movie while I grabbed handfuls of popcorn. Desperately trying not to think of the new prep school I would be starting in September. It was then that I heard the post fall onto the hall carpet; I loved getting post on my birthday. I had already got my present off Arthur; he had sent me some things from Japan where he was doing a job a week earlier. This job had had Arthur out of the country for a few months now and it was not until I was older that I actually knew what his jobs consisted of. I ran down the stairs trying desperately not to fall; I had done that last year and had fractured my wrist, not exactly the birthday present I had wanted. I sat down on the floor before the pile of post. There was what seemed like millions of coloured envelopes, birthday cards always came in brightly coloured envelopes for some reason. At the top of the pile was a blue envelope with my name and address written in a very familiar neat and precise manner. Arthur. Smiling I tore open the envelope and opened the card.

_Dear Little A_

_Happy Eleventh Birthday! I'm so sorry I can't be there to wish you a happy birthday myself but the job is taking longer to complete than we initially thought. I should be back before you go back to school though so we'll have a party then. Remember to have an extra big slice of cake but knowing you you'll already have eaten half the cake. See you soon._

_Portia and everyone send their love._

_Love Big A. x_

I laughed inwardly, Arthur had pretty much been in love with Portia since the moment he saw her and everyone knew it. Well, everyone except Portia. I felt really sorry for the rest of the team who had deal with the two of them every single day. I dropped the card back onto the floor. Sifting through the pile of letters; I separated them into two further piles, one for me and one for my parents. I picked up these two piles to move them through to the kitchen when as I walked away I heard the letterbox clatter.

I slowly turned around, maybe the postman had forgot one of the letters and had ran back to deliver it. I heard no sound of footsteps though. I picked up the letter and shrugged; I walked into the kitchen and sat down, placing the letters down in front of me. I realised that this last letter felt rather heavier than the others. It had no stamps or post mark, nothing at all to indicate that it had been through the postal system. The envelope was made of yellowish parchment and in emerald-green ink it read…

_Miss A Callahan_

_Balcony Bedroom_

_13 Ivy Crescent_

_Chelsea _

_London_

I turned the envelope over to find an unusual purple wax seal. It had a coat of arms that all radiated around a large "H". There were definitely four animals on there; a lion, a badger, a snake and a bird of some description. I turned it over and over in my hands, debating whether or not to tear it open as I so desperately wished to do. I gazed up at the clock; it read a quarter to ten, my parents would be about to come downstairs soon.

I closed my eyes as I slowly opened the envelope, tearing the seal with the tips of my fingers. I unfolded the thick parchment to read what was contained in this mysterious letter.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY _

_Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall _

_Dear Miss Callahan_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We understand that you as a muggleborn (someone without wizarding heritage) are most likely very confused about this letter._

_Hogwarts is a school for people like you, those who are magically gifted. You probably don't believe that you are magically gifted but has anything unusual ever happened around you and you cannot explain how or why it did._

_Soon a member of our teaching staff will arrive at your home to explain this in more detail to you and your parents._

_Please find enclosed a list of all necessary book and equipment. Term begins on the 1st__ September._

_Yours Sincerely, _

_Neville Longbottom_

_Deputy Headmaster _

My eyes were wide open in amazement, me a witch. That was… well, impossible. I held the letter close to my chest. Hogwarts sounded like a boarding school; I could finally get out of London and go… wherever this school was. I didn't really care; I just wanted never to go to my new school where I would be twisted into a dull lifeless void like so many others I had seen. I jumped off my bar stool and ran out of the kitchen, up the stairs to my parents' bedroom. I knocked on the door twice before barging in, "Mum… mum! Look at what came for me." I thrust the letter over to her as she sat on her bed fastening her shoes.

She read it and her eyes widened just as mine had earlier. She looked like she didn't believe the letter, that it was some kind of joke. She passed the letter over to my father who was reading a book in his armchair. His grey eyes darted across the page. He lay the letter down upon his knee and removed his glasses. He was about to say something when the doorbell rang.

I, not waiting for my parents, ran haphazardly down the stairs to the front door which I swung open with no hesitation what so ever. Standing before me was a man who was probably in his mid to late thirties. He stuck out his hand for me to shake, "You must be Annabel. I'm Professor Longbottom." I said nothing only nervously shaking his hand; I was too flabbergasted to speak. Maybe I actually was a witch after all. "May I come in?" he asked withdrawing his hand. I nodded silently moving out of his way, which also revealed my parents standing with bemused looks on their faces. Despite this they led us all into the lounge which is where my new life truly started.


End file.
